(En.) Rabbi Akiba began his life as a very poor man and ended it as a very rich man. He had a large crown made for his wife set with many precious stones, and when his children asked him why he gave her such valuable presents, he replied that he could never repay her adequately. She was the daughter of Kalba Shebua who was one of the richest men in Jerusalem and he was at that time a sheperd tending the flocks of her father. She fell in love with him and on his promise to study she betrothed herself to him. She refused to marry a rich man. Driven out of the house by her father, she lived with Rabbi Akiba’s mother. The neighbours used to bring her work secretly, as she belonged to the highest family in the place, and she used to send part of her earnings to Rabbi Akiba who was studying. Once a lame man laughed at her saying: " Her hair will turn grey before that sheperd will ever be a scholar." It is said that Rabbi Akiba was 40 years old when he started to learn and he did not believe that he would ever succeed in learning anything. Once he was sititing before a fountain in Lud and saw there a large stone with a hole in the middle, and he asked:" Who has bored out that hole?" and he was told that the groove in the stone had been caused by the rope with which the bucket was let down into the well passing along the stone. Then he said:" If such a soft material can cut a stone, why should not the words of the Law which are as hard as iron make an impression on my heart which is flesh?" He was frightened at being laughed at but his wife showed him by parctical example that people only laughed once or twice; then they became accustomed to the sight, and so he devoted himself heart and soul to the study of the Law.It is said that every day he used to gather hay half of which he sold to support himself and the other half he used for lighting the fire. His neighbours said to him:" Akiba! Thou art killing us with this smoke; sell us the other half and by oil with the money and you can study by the light of the oil." But Akiba said:" I cannot very well do that, because I learn, warm myself and obtain my living with the straw." After 12 years he returned to Jerusalem with 2000 pupils and all the people came to meet him. Kalba Sebua came also and asked him what he should do with his daughter whom he had driven away from his house and with regard to whom he had made a vow not to support her. Now she was starving and he wanted Rabbi Akiba to release him from his vow. Akiba asked him the reason and he replied:" She betrothed herself to an ignorant sheperd who couls not even say the blessing over meals." And Akiba replied:" But if he has since become a scholar?" Kalba Shebua replied:" If he only knew the blessing I would give him half my fortune." And Akiba replied:" I am the man" , and his father-in-law at once arose and kissed him and thanked the Lord for His mercy. As Akiba drew near to his home his wife came to meet him and fell at his feet and wanted to kiss them; the pupils wished to push her away not knowing who she was, but Akiba said:" Leave her alone, for all that you know and all that I know is due to her, for it is the wisdom of women that builds up the house." (Gaster, pp. 88-89.)

(Fr.) Rabbi Akiba était extrêmement pauvre, mais il devint riche à la fin de sa vie, et offrit à sa femme une couronne sertie de joyaux de grand prix. A ses enfants qui s’étonnaient, il répondit qu’il ne pourrait jamais s’acquitter de sa dette envers elle. Rachel était la fille de Kalba Savoua, un des hommes les plus riches de Jérusalem, et Rabbi Akiba un de ses pauvres bergers. Elle tomba amoureuse de lui et sous la promesse qu’il étudierait la Torah, elle se maria avec lui contre la volonté de son père qui la chassa de la maison, puisqu’elle se mariait avec un homme qui ne savait même pas prononcer une bénédiction. ~ Ayant commencé à étudier à l’âge de 40 ans, Rabbi Akiba était persuadé qu’il en était incapable, mais un jour devant une fontaine à Lud, il vit une grosse pierre percée d’un trou et il demanda qui avait creusé ce trou dans la pierre. Il lui fut répondu que c’était l’action de la corde qui remontait le baquet d’eau. Il s’écria alors:" Si un matériau aussi tendre peut couper de la pierre, comment les mots de la Loi qui sont durs comme le fer ne pourraient-ls pas pénétrer mon coeur, qui est fait de chair et sang?" Il avait peur qu’on se moque de lui, mais sa femme le persuada que les gens s’habitueraient à le voir étudier, ce qui se passa effectivement. Au bout de 12 ans, devenu un grand savant, il revint à Jérusalem accompagné de 2000 disciples, et toute la ville accourut pour l’écouter. Parmi eux se trouvait Kalba Savoua, qui vint lui poser une question. Il lui dit" Il y a des années ma fille s’est mariée à un ignorant, je l’ai chassée de la maison et j’ai fait voeu de ne jamais la soutenir. Mais j’ai entendu qu’elle mourait de faim, je voudrais que tu me délivres de mon voeu." Rabbi Akiba lui dit:" Si tu savais que cet ignorant a depuis étudié la Loi, l’aiderais-tu?" Kalba Savoua répondit:" Même s’il ne savait prononcer qu’une seule bénédiction, je lui donnerais la moitié de ma fortune." Rabbi Akiba lui dit alors:" C’est moi, Akiba, ton gendre." A ces mots, Kalba Savoua se leva et l’embrassa en remerciant Dieu pour sa miséricorde. Lorsque Rabbi Akiba arriva devant sa maison, Rachel vint à sa rencontre, mais les disciples voyant une pauvre femme s’avancer vers lui, voulurent l’écarter. Il leur dit:" Laissez la, c’est à elle que vous devez tout ce que vous savez et tout ce que je sais."